Modelling with
GENIE

GENIE's power comes from its ability
to respond to inputs and control outputs, for example by detecting
a switch press or turning a motor. But these inputs and outputs
(which are electrical and electronic components) will vary depending
on the design problem that you are attempting to solve.

Without the confidence
to understand how components work, both on their own and in
combination with other components, there is a real risk that
mistakes will creep into your design.
If you are unlucky, you might only discover those mistakes
after
you
have begun
making
your
project,
when it could already be too late.

This is where Circuit Wizard 3 really
shines, with its ability to model the whole design, from the
GENIE programming,
circuits
and power supply to all of the input and output components,
on the screen — a
process known as circuit simulation.

Simulating
your designs

Unlike simple multimedia or pre-scripted
animations, Circuit Wizard 3's circuit simulation is an accurate
mathematical model of the properties of the circuit, down to
the individual components and the voltages and currents going
between them.

Two simple examples can be
seen on the left. The first shows a bulb lighting up and
the second, a motor turning. In the Circuit Wizard 3 software,
these simulations become fully interactive.

The key advantage of this type of
mathematical modelling is that the on-screen simulation will
respond to your circuit in the same way that the real circuit
would. So if, for example, you select the wrong type of component
or connect it wrongly to the circuit, the software will show
you the effects of your mistake on the screen.

By simulating the entire electronic
circuit, and not just your flowchart or BASIC program, you
can have confidence that if the simulation works on the screen,
it will work when you make it. In a classroom full of eager
learners and designers, this ability for students to fully
test their own work becomes invaluable. Only software offering
the true simulation of life-like circuits can provide that
level of support.

However do not fear that all this
power has made Circuit Wizard 3 too complex. It was created
by us over many years specifically to assist those teachers
and students without any prior knowledge of electricity or
electronics.

Because Circuit Wizard 3 allows you to model the behaviour
of a circuit using a set of components that both look and act
like the real thing, you can benefit from their simulation
without ever having to understand circuit diagrams or printed
circuit board design. Indeed, all you have to do is connect
up your circuit on the screen just as you would normally and
then click on the Run button to see it go!

Another very big advantage of
being able to model a circuit on the screen before you make
it is that it allows you to quickly and easily try out different
ideas. Realise that your design needs a toggle switch rather
than a push switch, an extra red LED, or a
stepper motor rather than a
standard
DC motor? No problem. Just amend your designs and programs
on the screen and try again!

To help, we have included a whole range of different components within
Circuit Wizard 3, from switches, lights and motors to keypads,
loudspeakers and displays, putting you in control and allowing
you to find the best solution for your project.

This ability to investigate different
solutions is a vital part of the iterative design process.
As you explore and better understand the particular problem
that
your design is attempting to solve, you will find new avenues
for investigation and come up with new ways to apply embedded
control. But time is precious, which is why rapid on-screen
modelling through Circuit Wizard 3 is so essential.

A good example of this can be seen when trying to select
a particular GENIE
Board or Kit to be embedded within your design.
Although all include a programmable GENIE component, they
do vary in the number and types of inputs and outputs that
can be connected. Without specialist knowledge of electronics
this can be often be a hard thing to do, however by modelling
them on the screen you can easily discover for yourself which
one
of
them is
right
for your particular project.

Progressing
your understanding

Because Circuit
Wizard 3 is built
around accurate modelling, you can be confident
in the knowledge that it will be there to assist should you
choose to progress your understanding of the underlying mathematical
and scientific principles that lie at the heart of all electrical
and electronic circuits.

At the click of a button you'll be able to see the electricity
flowing around the circuit or take voltage and current measurements
with a range of virtual instruments. Built-in teaching
resources are also there to help get you started, covering
a wide variety of topics, from simple electrical circuits to
Ohm's law and beyond.

Progressing even further still, the
software enables you create your own electrical and electronic
circuits from scratch, with support for the design and simulation
of circuit diagrams, breadboards and printed circuit board (PCB)
layouts.

For more detail on Circuit Wizard's circuit design and PCB
layout tools, click here (please
note that this link will take you to our new-wave-concepts.com
website).

This seamless bridging of STEM (science, technology, engineering
and mathematics) teaching is what makes Circuit Wizard 3 so
ideally suited to all abilities and types of learners,
from those just starting out or with a practical bent, to those
looking to progress into further academic or vocational study.